Family says fired Harris County Pct. 6 deputy's apology for crash that killed loved one is not enough

HARRIS COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) — Speaking to ABC13 for the first time, a family is demanding justice after authorities believe their loved one was killed by a now-fired Harris County 6th Precinct deputy constable who allegedly drove the wrong way.

Ricardo “Ricky” Resendez Jr., 28, was driving home from work to his family's Second Ward home on Saturday. They had planned to celebrate the birthday of his father, Ricardo Resendez Sr., at dinner. However, he didn't make it.

At 1:30 p.m., a man identified by the Harris County 6th Precinct as now-fired Deputy Constable Rigo Vivar crashed into Resendez Jr.'s vehicle, killing him, according to Houston police. Police say Vivar was driving the wrong way. The 6th Precinct said preliminary investigations indicate he was in uniform on his way to work.

“It sets off a chain reaction,” Resendez Sr. said of the loss of his son.

The accident happened just a few hundred meters from the family home. Today, the house and the street are an indelible reminder of his absence.

“All of us just sitting together and being together was enough. It was always enough. And now his seat will be empty,” said his sister Brenda Resendez.

The family told ABC13 that his dog, Bambino, is still waiting for him to take the place.

“Every day (Bambino) waits at the door, just waiting to come home,” Resendez Sr. said.

Vanessa Resendez described her brother as someone who followed the rules.

She told ABC13: “He followed the law and I just think it's terrible that the law turned its back on him.”

Brenda Resendez said you “could just see that (her brother) was good.”

Resendez Jr. earned a degree in kinesiology from his beloved alma mater, the University of Houston, and worked at Bush Airport while also pursuing a career in sports medicine.

“He always wanted to stay in Houston. He wanted to stay in Houston and he wanted to get married and have kids. He wanted his little family and he just wanted to be close to us because we are each other's lives. We were always together. We thought we would always be together. He just wanted to be happy like everybody else and he was on his way there,” Brenda Resendez said.

The family told ABC13 they believe Vivar should be charged with murder and called on the Harris County District Attorney's Office to “hold him accountable.”

ABC13 spoke with him outside Vivar's home on Monday. He referred ABC13 to his attorney but held back tears and said he wanted to tell the Resendez family he was sorry.

“He's home right now. He's probably eating a steak, and my son is in the next room. It's just not fair. 'I'm sorry' is not enough,” Resendez Sr. said as he sat at his son's wake at a funeral home on Tuesday.

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